Auction of collection of TCM’s Robert Osborne includes Oscar

This combination of photos released by Grant Zahajko Auctions shows a 1936 Academy Award, left, and a view of its inscription given to art director Richard Day for his work on the film “Dark Angel.” It’s expected to go for between $70,000 and $100,000. (Grant Zahajko Auctions via AP)

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DAVENPORT, Wash. (AP) — A 1936 Academy Award is among the items going up for auction next month from the collection of the late Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne.

Grant Zahajko Auctions of Davenport, Washington, announced Friday that Osborne’s vast movie memorabilia collection will be auctioned on Oct. 10.

The collection of the TCM host and movie historian, who died in 2017, includes the 1936 Oscar statuette given to art director Richard Day for his work on the film “The Dark Angel,” which starred Fredric March and Merle Oberon. It’s expected to go for between $70,000 and $100,000.

The sale of Oscar statuettes is uncommon because winners since 1951 have had to agree that they or their heirs must offer it back to the movie academy for $1 before selling it elsewhere.

“There are rare instances when they can be made available in the marketplace, as is the case with the Oscar from Mr. Osborne’s archive,” Zahajko said in a statement. “It’s very exciting for collectors.”

The Osborne collection also includes a copy of “50 Golden Years of Oscar,” a 1979 book he wrote that was signed by 383 movie stars including Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Laurence Olivier and James Stewart. The book is expected to fetch between $20,000 and $30,000.

The auction will also include thousands of Osborne’s signed photos, letters and posters from early Hollywood.

The collection belongs to three nieces, who wanted to sell it through an auction house based in his home state of Washington, where Osborne was born in the city of Colfax in 1932.

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